Hunting in Northwest Montana off to slow start

R.J. Devitt, who mans the check station up the North Fork for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, talked to a lot of hunters last weekend, but he didn't see much game for the opening of general rifle season.

Devitt said the weather was rainy on Saturday and a bit on the warm side on Sunday, which affected hunters' success. On opening day, he'd examined just three white-tailed deer and one black bear. On Sunday, he saw just one whitetail. No one checked in an elk. For the weekend, there were 253 hunters recorded in the North Fork.

The slow start wasn't unique to just the North Fork. At the six Northwest Montana check stations, a total of 3,174 hunters checked 114 white-tailed deer, 14 mule deer and 22 elk for a 4.7 percent rate of hunters with game.

This compares with a 6.1 percent rate of hunters with game last year at the check stations. Of the whitetails checked, 83 were bucks and 31 were antlerless.

Hunters shot two wolves near Essex, a yearling and a three-year-old male, according to Region 1 wildlife manager Jim Williams. A wolf also was checked in at the Thompson Falls station.

Hunters are reminded that regulations for whitetails and mule deer in Region 1 are bucks-only through the end of the hunting season. Youths 12-15 and some qualifying 11-year-olds can take antlerless whitetail deer. Disabled hunters with a permit to hunt from a vehicle can also take antlerless whitetail deer.

Elk hunting is brow-tined bull only. Youth 12-15 and some qualifying 11-year-olds can take antlerless elk. Spike elk are not legal game. These regulations apply in most Region 1 hunting districts. Check the Montana hunting regulations for more detailed information.

Hunting could pick up this week. Some snow is expected, even at lower elevations, with highs in the 40s and lower 50s, which could make tracking easier.